Friday, December 24, 2010

‘Teach for Malaysia’ to raise educational quality

The 'Teach For Malaysia' programme launched Friday will complement the current initiative by the government to raise the quality of education in this country, said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Muhyiddin, who is also the Education Minister, said this was because the programme was closely linked to the policies under the 10th Malaysia Plan (10MP) aimed at developing human capital of quality.
"Although the main focus of the programme is to provide teachers of quality to primary schools which are performing poorly, the programme is closely linked to the policies under the 10th Malaysia Plan.
"This effort is the thrust towards innovation and achieving a high-income economic growth which is the country's main objective currently," he said when launching the programme, here.
He hoped the programme would attract outstanding graduates to contribute to the education sector.
The Teach For Malaysia programme is based on the concept of teaching while serving the country propagated by the global network 'Teach For All', which gives an opportunity to outstanding graduates to serve the country by joining the teaching profession after completing their university education.
"I believe that with the talent and knowledge that they possess, outstanding graduates joining the programme can carry out their tasks as teachers effectively, and at the same time improve the performance of the students, especially at the low-performing schools," he said.
Muhyiddin said Malaysia was the first country in South-east Asia and the third in Asia after India and China to implement this important initiative.
He said the programme had been included into the 10MP and identified as a programme that was capable of strengthening the quality of the teaching profession in the country based on the success already achieved in the United States and the United Kingdom through the 'Teach For America' and 'Teach First UK'.
The Education Ministry had carried out a preliminary study to gauge the programme's viability in Malaysia in 2009.
"I look at the programme as a good sign of the strong social involvement of the country's young generation in tackling educational issues and challenges.
"I believe if our country gives strong support to our young generation in implementing the programme, we have actually made a smart investment for the future of our country," he said.
Muhyiddin said the placement of participants of the Teach For Malaysia programme at the schools with high requirement would begin in Jaunary 2012.
Participation for the programme, which is a collaboration between the Education Ministry and the Teach For Malaysia Foundation, will open from Jan 11 and selected participants are required to undergo an intensive course for eight months at the Insitut Aminuddin Baki before being assigned to selected schools for two years. - Bernama